Means for gluing



L. Q. HARRIS 2,387,261 MEANS FORYGLUING Patented Oct. 23, 1945 MEANS FORGLUING Lloyd Q. Harris, Brevard, N. 0., assignor to Ecusta PaperCorporation, a corporation of Delaware Application December 3, 1941,Serial No. 421,443

3 Claims.

My invention relates to means for gluing and more particularly to adevice for effecting the gluing or joining together of two sheets with afine glue line.

An outstanding problem in the manufacture of paper in continuous webform is the joining together of two of the webs in such a manner thatthe junction therebetween will be substantially indistinguishable andthe joined section useful the same as the rest of the web. This problemis particularly pertinent in the manufacture of high quality ofdiaphanous paper, such as for example, cigarette paper, where it is verydiificult to apply a glue line without appreciably damaging theappearance if not the other physical properties of the two sheets orwebs of paper at or in the vicinity of their juncture.

The necessity for splicing two paper webs often arises in the rewindingand inspecting operation for the paper. For example, when a large rollof paper is unwound from the original roll and rewound at a distance onanother roll so as to provide an opportunity for inspection of the paperas it moves between the two rolls, the defective portions found on suchinspection have to be removed. Likewise, taking a section for sample ortesting purposes also necessitates the breaking of the web or sheet.These or any other such operations leave a discontinuous sheet and thetwo ends have to be joined together again so that the rewinding of thepaper may continue. The necessity of such operations also arises whereit is desired to join one complete roll with another even though nodefects occur.

One of the difficulties encountered in splicing or joining together twosheets of thin high quality paper, by means of a glue line, is theaccuracy required for applying the glue in a straight fine line. Theline must be also perfectly straight to prevent wrinkling or scoring ofthe paper when the two sheets are joined together. Likewise the linemust be fine, that is, a relatively very narrow thin line, to prevent itfrom showing up in the finished paper. These problems are especiallypertinent in the manufacture of cigarette paper and other high qualitypapers which are finally converted into narrow width bobbins which musthave continuous web. It will be apparent that in such cases the glueline section formed in the splicing operation would show up in eachnarrow bobbin formed from strips of paper out transversely through thelarge roll. Therefore, if the splice caused objectionable appearance orother adverse effects each wound bobbin of paper would have a defectalong this portion resulting in substantial waste or unnecessaryfurth'er labor.

In accordance with my invention I have developed means for applying aglue line which meets all of the above mentioned commercial requirementsand overcomes the problems heretofore encountered. I have developed adevice which, properly handled, will produce a fine straight lineuniformly across the entire width of the web. One of the very desirablecharacteristics of this device is that it provides an extremely'accurate and straight means, for applying the glue; as contrasted withmeans heretofore used which distort r become irregular over a period oftime and therefore do not produce the necessary continuous straight fineglue line over the entire width of the paper or other web material.

I have discovered that one of the best means for establishing andmaintaining a straight glue line is a wire securely mounted and heldunder tension. This wire, I have found, is advantageously made of springsteel, which may be chromium plated if desired; although wires of othermetals may be used. I have obtained uniformly good results overrelatively long periods of time with piano wire of a diameter of about0.080". It will be understood, however, that this size may varyappreciably with different uses of the device, especially on differenttypes of web material.

One of the most satisfactory methods of applying the glue which I havedeveloped comprises first covering the length of the wire with arelatively large excess of the glue or other adhesive material and thensmoothing out the glue to a uniform thin coating on the wire whileremoving the excess. This can be done by passing the thumb and indexfinger firmly along the length of the coated Wire, or by any othersuitable means. The glue'coated wire, which is mounted on a suitablesupport for maintaining it in a firm position, is brought into lightcontact with one piece of the web material near the end thereof. Thesurface of the wire permits only a relatively small amount of the glueto be applied to the web material and the fact that the wire is rigidlyheld in an extremely accurate, straight position causes an equallyaccurate glue line to be deposited upon the web material. The otherpiece of web material which is to be joined is thensuperimposed on theglue line and quickly and firmly pressed along the line so as to causethe'two webs to be joined together Very accurately. The waste ends ofthe two joined webs are then cut away so as to form a very narrowoverlap of the two sheets at the glue line. The two joined webs are thenready for continuous rewinding or other desired operations.

The details of construction of my device and mode of use will be clearlyunderstood from the following description taken in. conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters have beenapplied. to similar parts and in which: I

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my device for applying a glueline;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 2A is a sectional view taken along line 211 of Fig. 3; and,

a'ssieei The extreme end of the wire In after it passes beyond theaperture [93 is fastened around and under the head of a bolt 24 which istapped into the outer upright end of the U-shaped member I 9. The gluingwire is thus held at each end of the device by means of the twoassemblies which have just been described and which are located at therespective ends of the device.

To apply the desired tension to the gluing wire 1 and thereby maintainit in very accurate and. straight position the bolt 2! is properlyadjusted. In the usual case this adjustment is carried out by firstfastening the wire at each end under the heads of the bolts 24 and thendrawing down Fig. 3 is a front view of two rolls of web mate rialshowing the gluing device in glue applying position.

Referring now to the several figures in the drawings, the wire forapplying the glue is identified by reference character IE1. This. wire,it will be noted, extends substantially the full length of the device atthe inner side of the same and is. supported only at its two ends bysupporting means indicated generally at it. The frame of thisdevicecomprises an elongated. member l2 made of wood, or metal, or lastic, orany other suitable material; and. metal braces 13. In, the usual casethree of these braces, that is one. mounted on the outer side and. oneeach at the top and bottom of the frame member [2, will be satisfactoryfor maintaining this member in accurate. straightposition. These bracesprevent warping, twisting or other distortion oi the deviceand thenumber and dimensions may there fore vary as desired and. in accordancewith different. sizes and applications of the. device.

These braces are fastened at each end by means of supports IA, nuts. H),which are screwed onto the threaded ends. iii of each brace r'o.d;,.andbolts. 11- that. are. tapped into the flat base. portions of the.supports t4 and extend across the width of the device- The braces .13.are also. sup.- ported and; maintained in straight position by means orL-shaped supports l8 which are spaced at desired intervals along. the.device. This arrangement. assures a firm. securefastening of thebracerodsateach end. of. the device and pro.- vides spaced apart,aligning supports for the brace rods along the length of" the device.Since these bracing members are advantageously used on .three sides ofthe device they prevent any appreciable. distortionof the framework orof the gluing wire which is mounted on. the. fourth side.

The gluing wire; ill is heldin very accurate alignment by means. of thesupporting; assemblies. lit at each end; Each of these assemblie'scomprises a substantially U-shaped member l9 Which-is fastened to the.wooden body member t2 by means of bolts tapped into the bottom of the u-shaped'member. A longer bolt 2t extends through this member and is heldseourely by lock nut 22, and the vertical position of the bolt may bevaried; by adjustment of this nut. The bolt. 2'! serves as a. tensioningmeans for the glue wire I B This wire extends through guide holes {9Aand 19B formed in the uprights of the u -shapedmember l9; also through ahole upper end of the bolt 21 as. indicatedat 23'. These holes are justslightly larger than the diameter of the wiremso that-thelatter may bethreaded: therethrough and may be adjusted lengthwise for tensioning asdescribed below. i r

on the wire by tightening the nut 22 at one or both ends of the device.As indicated, when the nut 22 is rotated in a clockwise direction, thewire to may be pulled down by the bolt 2| to the position 23a indicatedby the broken lines. This tightening operation is continued until thedesired amount of tension is applied to the wire I, which. in'someinstances mayrequi're the wire to be drawn down into the recess I90.

I have found it of advantage in the use of this device to have the bodymember l2 extend for a distance beyond the anchors for the glue wire asindicated. by thev portions 25. These extensions which. may be coveredas desired with metal plates 26 serve as supports or means of mountingthe gluing device in operative position. These extensions. 25 may, forexample, be. placedv upon supports on the frame of the. rewinding andinspecting machine. When they are so placed, the gluing wire m may thenbe brought accurately and positively in light contact with the web whichis to be spliced This operation is more clearly indicated in Figs. 2Aand 3.

Referring to these figures, the supporting ends 25 or the; device areshown resting upon bracket members; 21 of the rewinding machine frame 28as. shown. in Fig. 3.; and the gluing. wire to which has been coated.with the necessary adhesive material is brought into firm but light.contact with the paper web 29; which normally advanced by metal roll 32.As soon as this. straight. glue line has: been deposited upon the web 29the glue applying device; is. removed and the end portion 30 of theother web supplied from the roll Slis. then brought down and pressed onthe: glue line The. two waste. ends: of the two web materials 29 and 30:arev then cut on and the splicing has. been completed in a neat uniformmanner so; that: it is. practically indistinguishable and the joinedsection of paper may be used satisfactorily the same: as. the rest ofthe paper..

While the device has been described above with particular reference to.diaphanous paper, such as for example,. cigarette paper; it is. tobermderstood that: the usev of the. device is not limited thereto.since. it may be applied generally .fior various tyfpes'of paper,.fabric or other web. materials or separate. sheets. of the. same.

The word glue as used herein for identify-'- i-ng the adhesive material:which is: used for ctfecting .bondingorsplicing of: the web or sheet isemployed in av generic sense and not by way of limitation. It isintendedto cover any and ali suitable types of adhesive material includinganimal, vegetable. or synthetic adhesive substances ormixturesthereof;

The. word wire as: used herein is employed in a. generic: sensev and rs.intended: to cover all various; types: and shapes: of. the; glue=app3ing member; For example; the wire maybeoi conventional rloumr shape; orit may 'befp y onai having one or more fiat surfaces or one or morerounded surfaces. The shape and dimensions of the wire may vary withdifferent types of glue and with difierent materials which are to beglued together or with the type and size of the glue line desired.

Various modifications and changes may be made in the means and methodsdescribed hereinabove without departing from the scope of thisinvention, some of the novel features of which are defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A glue applicator of the character described comprising an elongatedbase member, support members arranged on the respective end portions ofsaid base member, a wire applicator member tightly stretched in spacedparallel and longitudinal relation to said base member between saidsupport members, and bracing means extending closely adjacent to andlongitudinally of said base member for preventing distortion there- 2. Aglue applicator of the character described, comprising an elongated basemember, support members arranged on the respective end portions of saidbase member, a wire applicator member tightly stretched in spacedparallel and longitudinal relation to said base member between saidsupport members, adjustable means for disposing said wire applicatormember in tightly stretched condition, and bracing means extendingclosely adjacent to and longitudinally of said base member forpreventing distortion thereof.

3. A glue applicator of the character described, comprising an elongatedbase member of rectangular cross-section, support members arranged onone face of said base member at the respective end portions thereof, awire applicator member tightly stretched in spaced parallel andlongitudinal relation to said base member between said support members,adjustable means for disposing said wire applicator member in tightlystretched condition, and bracing means arranged on the remaining facesof said base member and extending closely adjacent to and longitudinallyof said base member for preventing distortion thereof. 4

LLOYD Q. HARRIS.

